Underwater pipeline inspection crawler

ABSTRACT

A system for underwater inspection including an inspection crawler are provided. The inspection crawler includes a housing having first and second sides, a power source, a controller, an inspection tool, at least two driving wheels, and a moveable center of gravity. A method for traversing a weld joint with the inspection crawler having a moving mass is also provided. In the method, the crawler is parked proximate to the joint, and the mass is slid along a slide rail to the second end of the crawler distal to the joint. The first end of the crawler is then propelled over the joint and the mass is slid to the center of the crawler. A center portion of the crawler is then propelled over the joint and the mass is slid to the first end of the crawler. The second end of the crawler is then propelled over the joint.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser.No. 62/397,175, filed Sep. 20, 2016, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to underwater robots and methods andsystems for inspection of underwater pipelines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Underwater pipelines can include a concrete weight coating to ensuretheir stability on the seabed. Segments of pipelines are generallywelded together creating weld joints between the segments. The weldjoints, however, do not have concrete coating, and thus are eitherexposed to the environment or have some kind of wire mesh or guard toprotect them from outside damage. As such, the weld joints are generallymore vulnerable to deterioration and leaks (e.g., due to corrosion) andthus require frequent inspection. The cross-sectional diameter of theweld joints is also typically smaller than the concrete coated segmentsof the pipeline.

Due in part to the configuration of the underwater pipelines (e.g., weldjoints), external inspection of underwater pipelines can be achallenging task. Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) have been used toinspect these pipelines by taking inspection readings at targeted spotsalong the pipeline. These external inspections, however, become evenmore difficult when the pipeline starts from shore and transitions intoa shallow zone of water, where the shallow water's high currents make itdifficult for ROVs to access the pipeline and, particularly, the weldjoints.

As such, there is a need for new approaches to inspecting underwaterpipelines. The present invention addresses these and other limitationsassociated with conventional inspection protocols for underwaterpipelines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a system for underwaterinspection that includes an inspection crawler is provided. Theinspection crawler comprises a housing, such that the housing has afirst side and a second side (i.e., opposing sides), and includes apower source and a controller. The inspection crawler further includesat least one inspection tool operatively connected to the housing, andat least two pairs of driving wheels attached to a bottom portion of thehousing, where the driving wheels are configured to propel theinspection crawler across the surface of the pipeline. The inspectioncrawler further includes a moveable center of gravity. The moveablecenter of gravity is configured to selectively move along a sliding railattached to the housing during traverse across an obstacle on thesurface of the pipeline.

According to another aspect, the system further includes at least oneremotely operated vehicle (ROV), wherein the inspection crawler isconfigured to operate as a docking station for the ROV. The ROV isconfigured to assist the inspection crawler in underwater navigationwhen the ROV is docked in the inspection crawler.

According to another aspect, the system further includes at least onecommunication unit located on top of the surface of the water andoperatively connected to the at least one inspection crawler. The atleast one communication unit is configured to communicate aerially withone or more remote devices and communicate with the at least oneinspection crawler via a tether. The system further includes at leastone sea surface unit operatively connected to the at least onecommunication unit.

According to another aspect, the at least one communication unit isconfigured to float on the surface of the water. According to anotheraspect, the at least one sea surface unit is configured to controloperations of the at least one inspection crawler via control signals.

According to another aspect, each of the inspection crawler,communication unit, and sea surface unit comprises at least onetransmitter and at least one receiver, and the transmitters andreceivers are configured to transmit and receive, respectively, data andcontrol signals.

According to another aspect, the sliding rail of the inspection crawleris positioned within the housing and the moveable center of gravitycomprises internal components of the inspection crawler.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method fortraversing a weld joint of an underwater pipeline with an inspectioncrawler having a moving mass is provided. The inspection crawler has afirst and a second end, and has a moving mass configured to slide alonga sliding rail to change the center of gravity of the inspectioncrawler. In accordance with the method, the inspection crawler is parkedat a location proximate to the weld joint, and the mass along the sliderail is slid to a position substantially at the second end of theinspection crawler, where the second end of the inspection crawler isdistal to the weld joint relative to the first end of the inspectioncrawler. The first end of the inspection crawler is then propelled overthe weld joint. The mass along the sliding rail is then slid to aposition that is substantially in the center of the inspection crawlerand a center portion of the inspection crawler is propelled over theweld joint. Finally, the mass along the sliding rail is slid to aposition that is substantially at the first end of the inspectioncrawler, and the second end of the inspection crawler is propelled overthe weld joint.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a system for inspectionof an underwater pipeline is provided. The system includes at least oneinspection crawler configured to move along the underwater pipeline andtraverse weld joints connecting portions of the underwater pipeline. Theat least one inspection crawler comprises a housing, a power source, acontroller, at least one inspection tool, at least two pairs of latchingarms each having a rolling element, at least two pairs of drivingwheels. The system further includes at least one communication unitlocated on top of the surface of the water and operatively connected tothe at least one inspection crawler. The at least one communication unitis configured to communicate aerially with one or more remote devicesand communicate with the at least one inspection crawler via a tether.The system further includes at least one sea surface unit operativelyconnected to the at least one communication unit.

According to another aspect, the at least one communication unit isconfigured to float on the surface of the water. According to anotheraspect, the at least one sea surface unit is configured to controloperations of the at least one inspection crawler via control signals.According to another aspect, the system further includes at least oneremotely operated vehicle (ROV), where the inspection crawler isconfigured to operate as a docking station for the ROV. The ROV isconfigured to assist the inspection crawler in underwater navigationwhen the ROV is docked in the inspection crawler.

According to another aspect, each of the inspection crawler,communication unit, and sea surface unit include at least onetransmitter and at least one receiver, and the transmitters andreceivers are configured to transmit and receive, respectively, data andcontrol signals.

According to another aspect, the rolling elements of the inspectioncrawler are omni-wheels.

According to another aspect, the housing of the inspection crawlerfurther comprises a front portion and a back portion and a connectingstructure connecting the front portion and the back portion. Theconnecting structure comprises an extendable and contractable memberthat is operable to elongate and shorten, respectively, the length ofthe inspection crawler.

According to another aspect, the at least two pairs of latching armseach include a joint that divides each latching arm into an uppersegment and a lower segment. The joints enable the latching arms toaccommodate pipelines of varying diameters.

According to another aspect, the inspection crawler further includes apneumatic actuator operatively connected to the housing and the latchingarms. The pneumatic actuator configures the latching arms to selectivelyhug the surface of the pipeline.

According to another aspect, the inspect crawler includes an electricactuation mechanism operatively connected to the housing and thelatching arms, such that the electric actuation mechanism configures thelatching arms to selectively hug the surface of the pipeline.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a method fortraversing a weld joint along a surface of an underwater pipeline withthe inspection crawler is provided. In accordance with the method, theinspection crawler is parked at a location proximate to the weld joint,and to park the inspection crawler, the rolling elements of the at leasttwo pairs of latching arms are pressed against the surface of thepipeline such that the rolling elements of the front pair of latchingarms are substantially aligned with the rolling elements of the rearpair of latching arms. The rolling elements of the front pair oflatching arms are then lifted from the surface of the pipeline, and afront portion of the inspection crawler is propelled across the weldjoint using the driving wheels. The rolling elements of the front pairof latching arms are then lowered to contact the surface of the pipelineand the rolling elements of the rear pair of latching arms are liftedfrom the surface of the pipeline. A back portion of the inspectioncrawler is then propelled across the weld joint using the drivingwheels, and the rolling elements of the rear pair of latching arms arelowered to contact the surface of the pipeline.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method fortraversing a weld joint with the inspection crawler having theconnecting structure is provided. In accordance with the method, theinspection crawler is parked at a location proximate to the weld joint,and to park the inspection crawler, the rolling elements of the at leasttwo pairs of latching arms are pressed against the surface of thepipeline such that the rolling elements of the front pair of latchingarms are substantially aligned with the rolling elements of the rearpair of latching arms. The connecting structure is then extended topropel a first portion of the inspection crawler over the weld joint.Then, the connecting structure is contracted to propel a second portionof the inspection crawler over the weld joint.

These and other aspects, features, and advantages can be appreciatedfrom the following description of certain embodiments of the inventionand the accompanying drawing figures and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example configuration of anunderwater crawler according to at least one embodiment of the presentapplication;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example system for underwater pipelineinspection according to at least one embodiment of the presentapplication;

FIGS. 3A-B illustrate the attachment of the underwater crawler to anunderwater pipeline (3A, prospective view; 3B, front view) according toat least one embodiment of the present application;

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate actuation mechanisms (4A, pneumatic actuation; 4B,electric actuation) of the latching arms of the underwater crawler andthe connection of the latching arms to the spring-loaded active joint ofthe underwater crawler (4C) according to certain embodiments of thepresent application;

FIGS. 5A-B illustrate an alternative configuration of the underwatercrawler and its attachment to an underwater pipeline according to atleast one embodiment of the present application;

FIG. 5C illustrates an alternative implementation of an inspection toolof the underwater crawler according to at least one embodiment of thepresent application;

FIGS. 6A-D illustrate the movement of the underwater crawler acrosssegments and a weld joint of the underwater pipeline according to atleast one embodiment of the present application;

FIGS. 7A-C illustrate another embodiment of the underwater crawlerhaving four pairs driving wheels and its movement across segments and aweld joint of the underwater pipeline according to at least oneimplementation of the present application;

FIGS. 8A-B illustrate an embodiment of the underwater crawler havingthree pairs of driving wheels and its movement across segments and aweld joint of the underwater pipeline according to at least oneembodiment of the present application; and

FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of the underwater crawler and itsmovement across segments and a weld joint of the underwater pipelineaccording to at least one embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION CERTAIN OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present application details an underwater inspection crawler, andsystems and methods for inspection of underwater pipelines. Inparticular, the invention is described in connection with severalembodiments of an underwater inspection crawler capable of traversing anunderwater pipeline and conducting inspections on the pipeline. Theunderwater inspection crawler of the present application targets, amongother things, the challenge of crossing weld joints along an underwaterpipeline, and stabilizing the crawler on the pipeline. Further, theinspection crawler ensures upward position of the crawler on top of theunderwater pipeline by rectifying it against underwater currents,gravity, and discontinuities along the pipelines.

In one or more embodiments, the underwater inspection crawler comprisesa housing containing a power source and a controller. In one or moreembodiments, the underwater crawler can also comprise at least oneinspection tool operatively connected to the housing. The crawler canalso include at least two pairs of latching arms operatively connect tothe housing. Each latching arm comprises a rolling element attached tothe distal portion of each latching arm, the rolling elements beingconfigured to selectively maintain contact with the surface of thepipeline via tension to prevent detachment of the inspection crawlerfrom the surface of the pipeline. The crawler can also comprise at leasttwo pair of driving wheels attached to a bottom portion of the housing,the driving wheels being configured to propel the inspection crawleracross the surface of the pipeline.

In one or more embodiments, embodiments of systems and methods forinspection of an underwater pipeline using the crawler are provided. Inparticular, the system can comprise at least one underwater crawler, andat least one communication unit located on top of the surface of thewater and tethered to the inspection crawler. The communication unit cancommunicate aerially with one or more remote computing devices, and cancommunicate with the crawler via the tether. The communication unit canalso be connected to a support vessel or a sea surface robotic vehiclevia a tether or, alternatively, via an underwater wireless connection(e.g., acoustics, laser, visible LED light, radio frequency [RF]).

The present systems provide several advantages over previous underwaterpipeline inspection systems. For example, the inspection crawler of thepresent application provides effective propulsion along an underwaterpipeline via the driving wheels, and maintains stability along thepipeline via the latching arms of the inspection crawler. Theseadvantages are particularly distinct for moving along underwaterhorizontal pipelines having a concrete weight coat around its steel walland seafloor sand underneath them. The inspection crawler of the presentapplication is also easily deployed on an underwater pipeline thatbegins offshore. This feature provides the inspection crawler with adistinct advantage over swimming robots in shallow waters, as swimmingrobots have difficulty finding pipelines in shallow water due to lowvisibility. Further, unlike swimming robots, the inspection crawler ofthe present application does not need buoyancy control for stableinspection measurements. The present inspection crawler also allows fornovel, effective movement across the weld joints of the underwaterpipeline.

The referenced underwater inspection crawlers, and systems and methodsfor underwater pipeline inspection are now described more fully withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which one or more illustratedembodiments and/or arrangements of the systems and methods are shown.The systems and methods of the present application are not limited inany way to the illustrated embodiments and/or arrangements as theillustrated embodiments and/or arrangements are merely exemplary of thesystems and methods, which can be embodied in various forms asappreciated by one skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understoodthat any structural and functional details disclosed herein are not tobe interpreted as limiting the systems and methods, but rather areprovided as a representative embodiment and/or arrangement for teachingone skilled in the art one or more ways to implement the systems andmethods.

Inspection Crawler

FIG. 1 displays a block diagram illustrating an example configuration ofan underwater inspection crawler according to at least one embodiment ofthe present application. With reference to FIG. 1, in accordance withone or more embodiments, the underwater inspection crawler 102 comprisesa housing 104. The housing 104 includes a power source 106, at least onetransmitter/receiver 108, and a controller 110. In one or moreembodiments, the at least one transmitter/receiver 108 is configured totransmit and receive signals (e.g., control signals), as well as fortransmit and receive data. In one or more embodiments, the at least onetransmitter-receiver can be a transceiver or can be a separatetransmitter and a separate receiver. In one or more embodiments, atether can be attached to the inspection crawler 102 for communicationwith one or more remote devices in place of or in addition to thetransmitter/receiver 108. The controller 110 can be arranged withvarious hardware and software components that serve to enable variousoperations of the inspection crawler 102, including a hardware processor112, a memory 114, and storage 116. The processor 112 serves to executesoftware instructions that can be loaded into the memory 114. Theprocessor 112 can comprise a number of processors, a multi-processorcore, or some other type of processor, depending on the particularimplementation.

Preferably, the memory 114 and/or the storage 116 are accessible by theprocessor 112, thereby enabling the processor 112 to receive and executeinstructions stored on the memory 114 and/or on the storage 116. Thememory 114 can be, for example, a random access memory (RAM) or anyother suitable volatile or non-volatile computer readable storagemedium. In addition, the memory 114 can be fixed or removable. Thestorage 116 can take various forms, depending on the particularimplementation. For example, the storage 116 can contain one or morecomponents or devices such as a hard drive, a flash memory, a rewritableoptical disk, a rewritable magnetic tape, or some combination of theabove. The storage 116 also can be fixed or removable.

In one or more embodiments, one or more software modules 118 are encodedin the storage 116 and/or in the memory 114. The software modules cancomprise one or more software programs or applications having computerprogram code or a set of instructions executed in the processor 112.Such computer program code or instructions for carrying out operationsand implementing aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein canbe written in any combination of one or more programming languages. Theprogram code can execute entirely on the inspection crawler 102, as astand-alone software package, partly on the inspection crawler 102 andpartly on a remote computer/device or entirely on such remotecomputers/devices. In the latter scenario, the remote computer systemscan be connected to the inspection crawler 102 through any type ofnetwork, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network(WAN), or the connection can be made through an external computer (forexample, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

In one or more embodiments, included among the software modules 118 canbe a communications module 120, and a driver module 122, a latchingmodule 124, and/or an inspection module 126 that are executed byprocessor 112. During execution of the software modules 118, theprocessor 110 is configured to perform various operations relating tothe configuration of the inspection crawler 102. In addition, it shouldbe noted that other information and/or data relevant to the operation ofthe present systems and methods can also be stored on the storage 130,for instance various control programs used in the configuration of theinspection crawler 102.

Similarly, in an alternative embodiment, the inspection crawler 102 caninclude a control module (in place of controller 110) that can bearranged with various hardware and software components that serve toenable operation of the system, including a processor, a memory, acommunications module, a driver module, a latching module, and/or aninspection module, and a computer readable storage medium in order toexecute the various functions of the inspection crawler.

In one or more embodiments, the inspection crawler 102 further includesat least two pairs of latching arms 128 operatively connected to thehousing to the housing 104 (e.g., via spring-loaded active joints). Inone or more implementations (e.g., FIG. 3A), the two pairs of latchingarms 128 can comprise a front pair and a rear pair. The first latchingarm of each of the front pair and the rear pair extends from a firstside of the housing, and a second latching arm of each of the front pairand the rear pair extends from a second, opposing side of the housing.The latching arms 128 each include a rolling element 130 at its distalend, which are configured to selectively maintain contact with a surfaceof the pipeline via tension to prevent detachment of the inspectioncrawler 102 from the surface of the underwater pipeline. In one or moreembodiments, the inspection crawler 102 further includes at least twopairs of driving wheels 132 attached to a bottom portion of the housing104. In one or more implementations, the driving wheels 132 areconfigured to propel the inspection crawler 102 across the surface ofthe pipeline.

In one or more embodiments, the inspection crawler 102 further comprisesone or more inspection tools 134 operatively connected to the housing.In one or more embodiments, at least one inspection tool 134 cancomprise an inspection probe for collecting data related to theinspection of the underwater pipeline, as discussed in greater detailbelow. The movement of the inspection tools is controlled by thecontroller 110 via instructions implemented by the inspection module126.

Underwater Pipeline Inspection System

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary system 200 for underwater pipelineinspection according to at least one embodiment of the presentapplication. The system 200 can include one or more inspection crawlers102, one or more communication units 202, and one or more sea surfaceunits 302. Each of the inspection crawler 102, communication unit 202,and sea surface unit 302 can comprise at least one transmitter/receiver,and wherein the transmitters and receivers are configured to transmitand receive, respectively, data and control signals, transmitted betweenthe inspection crawler 102, communication unit 202, and sea surface unit302, as discussed in greater detail below.

In one or more embodiments, the communication unit 202 is located on topof the surface of the water and operative connected to the inspectioncrawler 102, via a tether 204 for example. The communication unit 202 isconfigured to communicate aerially with one or more remote devices andto communicate with the inspection crawler 102 (e.g., via the tether204). For example, in at least one implementation, the communicationunit 202 can float on the surface of the water (e.g., a buoy). In one ormore embodiments, the communication unit 202 can comprise at least onetransmitter/receiver 208 for transmitting and receiving signals (e.g.,control signals), as well as for transmitting and receiving data. In oneor more embodiments, the one or more transmitter-receivers can betransceivers or can be separate transmitters and receivers.

In one or more embodiments, the sea surface unit 302 is operativelyconnected to the communication unit 202. In one or more embodiments, thesea surface unit 302 can be any number of different types of sea surfacevehicles, including but not limited to a boat, a sea surface roboticvehicle, or a control station in a support vessel. One example of asuitable sea surface robotic vehicle is described in U.S. applicationSer. No. 15/069,631, filed on Mar. 14, 2016, entitled “Water EnvironmentMobile Robots,” which is hereby incorporated by reference as if setforth in its entirety herein. In an embodiment in which the surface unit302 is a control center, the control center (302) can be configured tocontrol operation of the inspection crawler 102 and/or the communicationunit 202 using control signals that are communicated between the controlcenter (302) and the inspection crawler 102 and/or communication unit202. In certain embodiments, the control signals transmitted from thecontrol center 302 to control the operations of the inspection crawler102 can be relayed to the inspection crawler 102 via the communicationunit 202. The control center (302) can include at least onetransmitter-receiver 308 for transmitting and receiving signals (e.g.,control signals), as well as for transmitting and receiving data. In oneor more embodiments, the one or more transmitter-receivers can betransceivers or can be separate transmitters and receivers.

In an embodiment in which the sea surface unit is 302 comprises acontrol center, the control center can include one or more computingdevices, which can have the same or similar operations and features asthe controller 110 as described above. For example, the one or morecomputing devices of the control center can have various hardware andsoftware components that serve to enable various operations of thecontrol center, inspection crawler(s) 102, and/or communication unit(s)202. These various hardware and software components can comprise one ormore hardware processors, and a memory and/or storage accessible by theprocessor. The processor serves to execute software instructions thatcan be loaded into the memory/storage. More specifically, one or moresoftware modules can be encoded in the storage and/or in the memory. Thesoftware modules can comprise one or more software programs orapplications having computer program code or a set of instructionsexecuted in the processor. In certain embodiments, the control center302 can also include a joystick or other mechanism for controlling themovement and operations of the inspection crawler(s) 102 and/or thecommunication unit(s) 202.

In one or more embodiments, the system of the present application canfurther comprise at least one swimming remotely operative vehicle (ROV)402 that is configured to dock into the crawler 102, or alternatively,is connected to the crawler 102 for improved environment perception andcollaborative work (e.g., inspection tasks). More particularly, in oneor more embodiments, the crawler 102 can act as a docking station for adeployable inspection ROV 402 that is powered and controlled via atether connected to it. For example, such an ROV can help navigate orguide the way of the crawler by swimming and searching for the pipe inareas along the pipeline where the pipe is buried under the seabed. Withthe help of the ROV 402, the crawler 102 can navigate on the seabeduntil it finds the buried pipe again. In one or more embodiments, theROV 402 can further comprise one or more computing devices, which canhave the same or similar operations as the controller 110 as discussedabove. In at least one embodiment, the ROV 402 can further comprise atransmitter/receiver 408.

Inspection Crawler Attachment and Movement Along Underwater Pipeline

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate the attachment of the underwater crawler toan underwater pipeline according to at least one embodiment. Withreference to FIGS. 3A-B, in one or more embodiments, the inspectioncrawler 102 is configured to crawl along the underwater pipeline havingnumerous segments of pipes 135. The pipes 135 can each comprise a steelwall 136 as the inner layer of the pipe, and a concrete weight coat 137as an outer layer of the pipe onto which the crawler 102 attaches. Thesegments of pipes 135 are generally welded together creating weld joints138 between the segments. The weld joints 138, however, do not haveconcrete coating, and thus are either exposed to the environment or havesome kind of wire mesh or guard to protect them from outside damage.

With continued reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the inspection crawler 102comprises a housing 104 and at least two pairs of latching arms 128. Asshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in one or more embodiments, the latching arms128 have a curved shape. In one or more embodiments, each latching arm128 is operatively connected to the housing via a spring-loaded activejoint 140. The latching arms 128 each include a rolling element 130attached at its distal end. The rolling elements 130 are configured toselectively maintain contact with a surface of the pipeline via tensionto prevent detachment of the inspection crawler 102 from the surface ofthe pipeline. In at least one embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 3A and3B, the rolling elements 130 are omni-wheels. In at least oneimplementation, the omni-wheels are passive omni-wheels configured toroll along the longitudinal direction of the pipeline while maintainingcontact with the pipe 135. The use of omni-wheels allows the inspectioncrawler 102 to accommodate a range of different pipeline diameterscompared with conventional wheels. In one or more alternativeembodiments, the rolling elements 130 are conventional wheels configuredto roll along the longitudinal direction of the pipeline whilemaintaining contact with the pipe 135. In at least one alternativeembodiment, the rolling elements 130 are actuated mecanum wheels thatare configured to roll forward and sideways alone the pipeline. In anembodiment that utilizes mecanum wheels, by controlling the speeds ofthe crawler, the crawler can adjust its upward position on top of thepipe 135. In another alternative embodiment, the rolling elements areball casters wheels that are configured to roll in any direction alongthe pipe 135.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3A and 3B shows latching arms 128 havingomni-wheels. As the inspection crawler 102 moves along the pipeline, atleast one pair of omni-wheels (e.g., the omni-wheels of opposinglatching arms) are tensioned to maintain contact with the surface of thepipeline in at least one point (contact point) on each side of the pipe135. In one particular embodiment, the angle between the contact pointswith the center of the pipe circumference is less than 180 degrees toensure than the inspection crawler 102 does not detach from the pipe(see FIG. 3B). In at least one implementation, when the inspectioncrawler 102 is moving along a section of the underwater pipe in whichthe pipe is buried or substantial buried in the seabed, the latchingarms 128 can be configured to unlatch from the surface of the pipe androll (via rolling elements 130) on the seabed.

In one or more implementations, the latching arms 128 can be actuatedusing a pneumatic actuation mechanism. FIG. 4A shows an exemplarypneumatic actuation mechanism in accordance with one or moreembodiments. The pneumatic actuation mechanism can be controlled by theprocessor 112 executing one or more software modules 118, includinglatching module 124. As shown in FIG. 4A, the pneumatic actuationmechanism includes a dual pneumatic actuator 142 for each pair oflatching arms 128, the actuator 142 being operatively connected to thehousing 104 and the latching arms 128. More specifically, the pneumaticactuation mechanism further comprises a crank piston 144 for eachlatching arm connected to the pneumatic actuator 142, and a rotationaljoint 146 connecting the crank piston 144 to the latching arm 128. Usingthe pneumatic actuation mechanism, the latching arms of the crawler areconfigured to selectively hug the surface of the pipe 135 (via therolling elements 130) and detach from the surface. The pneumaticactuation mechanism can be advantageous in that it provides bothactuation force and spring-like elasticity. The actuation force andspring-like elasticity of the pneumatic actuation mechanism allows thelatching arms to accommodate for irregularities in the concrete surfaceof the pipe. Further, in embodiments in which the pneumatic actuationmechanism is used with latching arms having omni-wheels, the omni-wheelsallow for friction-less motion in both longitudinal and circumferentialdirections and enable attachment for different pipe diameters.

In at least one implementation, the latching arms can be actuated usingan electric actuation mechanism. FIG. 4B shows an exemplary electricactuation mechanism in accordance with one or more embodiments. Theelectric actuation mechanism can be controlled by the processorexecuting one or more software modules 118, including latching module124. As shown in FIG. 4B, the electric actuation mechanism includes apinion gear 148 for each latching arm 128, the pinion gears 148 beingoperatively connected to the housing 104. The electric actuationmechanism further comprises a torsion spring 150 and a worm gear motormechanism 152 for each latching arm, both the torsion spring 150 and theworm gear motor mechanism 152 being operatively connected to the piniongear 148 for each latching arm 128. In at least one implementationfeaturing the electric actuation mechanism, the latching arms 128 usethe torsion spring 150 to maintain tension while hugging the pipe 135(e.g., via rolling elements 130). The electric actuator mechanismconfigures the latching arms to selectively hug onto the surface of thepipe 135 and retract from the surface of the pipe 135. In a particularimplementation, the worm gear motor mechanism 152 is configured to holdthe latching arm in tension without consuming power. As such, in thisimplementation, power is only needed during attaching (hugging) anddetaching of the latching arm from the surface of the pipe 135.

FIG. 4C illustrates the components of the spring-loaded active joint 140of the inspection crawler 102 according to one or more embodiments. Asdiscussed above, each latching arm 128 can be operatively connected tothe housing 104 of the inspection crawler 102 via a spring-loaded activejoint 140. As shown in FIG. 4C, in one or more implementations thespring-loaded active joint 140 can comprise a pinion gear 148 having abearing 149, a torsion spring 150 arranged between the latching arm 128and the pinion gear 148, and worm gear motor mechanism 152. The latchingarm 128 can include a shaft 129 that is rigidly coupled to the latchingarm and is configured for attachment to the active joint 140. As shownin FIG. 4C, in at least one embodiment the shaft 129 is freely rotatingand its distal end is arranged within the bearing 149 of the pinion gear148. The motor of the worm gear motor mechanism 152 rotates the wormgear which in turn rotates the pinion gear 148 that houses in it thefreely rotating shaft 129. When the pinion gear 148 is rotated it windsthe torsion spring 150 which rotates the latching arm 128 and provideselasticity to its rotation.

With reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in one or more alternativeimplementations, the latching arms 128 can comprise a joint 154. Asshown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the joint 154 divides the latching arm 128into an upper segment 156 and a lower segment 158. The addition of ajoint 154 to the latching arm provide the latching arm with two degreesof freedom and thus allows the inspection crawler 102 to easily adjustto pipes of different circumferences by adjusting the effective lengthof the latching arm 128. For instance, in FIG. 5A, the latching arm 128having the joint 154 is able to traverse a pipe having a relativelylarge circumference, and FIG. 5B, the same latching arm 128 canaccommodate a pipe having a much smaller circumference by shortening theeffective length of the latching arms 128. In one or moreimplementations, the effective length of the latching arms 128 can beadjusted in a rotational manner. For example, FIGS. 5A and 5B show arotational connection 160 between the upper segment 156 and the housingof the inspection crawler. Rotation of the latching arm 128 via therotational connection 160 results in the lengthening (FIG. 5A) orshortening (FIG. 5B) of the effective length of the latching arms 128such that different pipe circumferences can be accommodated. As shown inFIGS. 5A-5B, the upper segment 156 can be attached to the housing 104 ofthe inspection crawler 102 via a translational connection, such thattranslation of the upper segment 156 results in the lengthening orshortening of the effective length of the latching arms 128.

Referring back to FIGS. 3A and 3B, in one or more embodiments, theinspection crawler 102 further comprises at least two pairs of drivingwheels 132 attached to a bottom portion of the housing 104. In one ormore implementations, the driving wheels 132 are configured to propelthe inspection crawler 102 across the surface of the pipeline. In one ormore embodiments, for each pair of driving wheels 132, one driving wheelis distributed on the left bottom portion of the inspection crawler 102and one driving wheel is distributed on the right bottom portion of theinspection crawler 102. In one or more implementations, during movementof the inspection crawler 102 along the pipeline, at least thefront-most and rear-most pairs of wheels are actuated to ensure that atleast one pair of driving wheels is propelling the inspection crawler102 at all times. This is particularly important when a pair of thewheels is crossing a weld joint 138 of the pipeline, as the pair ofwheels that is crossing the weld joint 138 is not in contact with anysurface, and thus cannot assist in propelling the inspection crawler102. For instance, when the front-most pair of driving wheels iscrossing a weld joint, at least the rear-most driving wheels areactuated and therefore propel the front-most pair of driving wheels (andthe front portion of the crawler) across the weld joint. Conversely,when the rear-most pair of driving wheels is crossing a weld joint, atleast the front-most driving wheels are actuated and therefore propelthe rear-most pair of driving wheels (and the back portion of thecrawler) across the weld joint.

In one or more alternative embodiments, the inspection crawler cancomprise tread on the left and right sides of the crawler rather thandriving wheels. In this embodiment, the tread length is preferablylonger than the width of the weld joint, and the center of gravity ofthe crawler is substantially in the middle of the housing of the crawlerto ensure the stability of the crawler. In one or more implementations,the tread length is at least twice as long as the width of the weldjoint. In at least one implementation, the treads can be hinged on theoutside of the crawler and tensioned to the circumference of the pipe.

With continued reference to FIG. 3A, in one or more embodiments, theinspection crawler 102 further comprises one or more inspection tools134 operatively connected to the housing. In one or more embodiments,and as shown at FIG. 3A, the at least one inspection tool 134 can be aninspection arm (134) comprising an inspection probe 162 for visualinspection and/or collecting data related to the inspection of theunderwater pipeline (e.g., weld joints of the pipeline). In thisimplementation, the inspection arm has adequate degrees of freedom toreach a 6 o'clock position for the inspection of a weld joint 138 alongthe underwater pipeline (see FIG. 3A). The length of the links of theinspection arm can be interchangeable and the selection of the rightlength can be based on the size of the pipe and its inspected weldjoint. The movement of the inspection tools is controlled by thecontroller 110 via instructions implemented by the inspection module126.

In at least one embodiment, the one or more inspection tools 134 cancomprise an extendable probe operatively connected to the underside ofthe crawler 102. In this embodiment, the extendable probe can beconfigured to conduct spot checks at the 12 o'clock position on a weldjoint. The extendable probe can be either actuated to deploy normally tothe surface, or alternatively, can be passively mounted to the crawlerthrough a suspension system.

In one or more embodiments, the one or more inspection tools 134 cancomprise a probe in the shape of a wheel that is configured to takecathodic protection (CP) and ultrasonic thickness (UT) measurements. Inthis embodiment, the probe is mounted on a ring that moves the probearound the circumference of the weld joint. In at least oneimplementation, as shown in FIG. 5C, the probe can be a wheel-shapedprobe 562 (carried on a probe carrier having wheels, for example) thatcan be mounted on a circular rail/track 564 along which it can be rolledto acquire readings along the whole circumference of the weld joint 138of the pipe 135. The rail 564 can be made of two semi-circles that areinitially separated, and once a reading on the weld joint is needed,they are deployed to form a continuous track (e.g., via locking joint566) for the wheel-shaped probe 562.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate the movement of the inspection crawler acrosssegments and a weld joint 138 of the underwater pipeline according to atleast one embodiment of the present application. FIGS. 6A-6D show a sideview of the inspection crawler 102 in accordance with at least oneembodiment. In this embodiment, the inspection crawler 102 comprises twopairs of latching arms 128, a front pair located proximate to theinspection arm 134, and a rear pair. As shown at FIG. 6A, as theinspection crawler 102 encounters a weld joint 138, the processor 112executing one or more software modules 118, including driver module 122,configures the inspection crawler to stop or park at a locationproximate to the weld joint 138. As shown in FIG. 6A, when the crawler102 is parked, the at least rolling elements 130 of the latching arms128 are pressed against the surface of the pipeline such that therolling elements 130 of the front pair of latching arms aresubstantially aligned with the rolling elements 130 of the rear pair oflatching arms. In certain embodiments, the inspection crawler 102 can beconfigured to inspect the weld joint 138 while the crawler 102 is parked(e.g., the processor 112 executing one or more software modules 118,including inspection module 126, configures the inspection tool 134 toinspect the weld joint 138).

In accordance with the one or more embodiments shown FIGS. 6A-6D, inorder for the inspection crawler 102 to traverse the weld joint 138, theprocessor 112 executing one or more software modules 118, includinglatching module 124, configures the inspection crawler to lift therolling elements of the front pair of latching arms from the surface ofthe pipe 135. As shown in FIG. 6B, the rolling elements of the frontpair of latching arms are lifted away from the surface of the pipe 135,while the rear pair of latching arms and their respective rollingelements remain in the same location as shown in FIG. 6A when theinspection crawler was “parked.” After lifting the rolling elements ofthe front pair of latching arms, the inspection crawler is thenconfigured to propel forward over the weld joint 138 via driving wheels118 such that a front portion of the inspection crawler crosses the weldjoint 138. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6A-6D in which the inspectioncrawler 102 comprises four sets of driving wheels, the front portion ofthe inspection vehicle generally corresponds to the portion of thecrawler having the two front-most pairs of driving wheels, while theback portion of the crawler corresponds to the portion of the crawlerhaving the two rear-most pairs of driving wheels.

As shown in FIG. 6C, once the front portion of the inspection crawler102 has crossed the weld joint 138, the crawler 102 is configured tolower the front pair of latching arms such that the rolling elements ofthe front pair of latching arms again contact the surface of the pipe135. Further, the crawler 102 is configured to then lift the rear pairof latching arms such that the rolling elements of the rear pair oflatching arms are not in contact with the surface of the pipe 135. In atleast one implementation, the inspection crawler 102 stops in the middleof the weld joint during crossing in order to switch which latching armsare pressing against the pipe. In one or more embodiments, theinspection crawler 102 can continue to move across the weld joint as itswitches which latching arms are pressing against the pipe so long asthe switching of the latching arm is complete before the rear pair ofwheels cross the weld joint. Once the rolling elements of the front pairof latching arms are contacting the pipe 135 and the rolling elements ofthe rear pair of latching arms have been lifted from the pipe 135, theinspection crawlers is configured to propel the remaining portion (backportion) of the crawler across the weld joint 138 via driving wheels132. After the back portion of the crawler 102 has crossed the weldjoint 138, the rear pair of latching arms is lowered such that therolling elements of the rear pair of latching arms again contacts thesurface of the pipe (see FIG. 6D). As such, once the crawler hascompletely crossed the weld joint, the crawler can be configured tocontinue to move along the pipeline with the rolling elements of bothpairs of latching arms contacting and rolling along the surface of thepipe.

As mentioned above, in one or more implementations, when the front-mostpair of driving wheels are crossing the weld joint, at least therear-most driving wheels are actuated and therefore propel thefront-most pair of driving wheels (and the front portion of the crawler)across the weld joint. Conversely, when the rear-most pair of drivingwheels is crossing a weld joint, at least the front-most driving wheelsare actuated and therefore propel the rear-most pair of driving wheels(and the back portion of the crawler) across the weld joint.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate side views of the underwater crawler of thepresent application according to an alternative embodiment similar tothe ones discussed above. Accordingly, similar parts share a similarnumbering convention, except that a “7” prefix is used instead of a “1”prefix. As exemplified in FIG. 7A, in this embodiment, the inspectioncrawler 702 comprises a housing 704. While not shown in the figures, thehousing 704 can feature substantially the same components as shown inthe housing 104 of FIG. 1, such as a power source, a controller, and aprocessor. Further, in at least one embodiment, the housing can furtherincluding at least one inspection tool that is operatively connected tothe housing. Like the previous embodiments, the crawler 702 can alsoinclude at least two pairs of driving wheels 732 attached to the bottomsurface of the housing 704 configured to propel the inspection crawleracross a surface of the pipeline. As show in FIG. 7A, in at least oneimplementation, the crawler 702 can include four pairs of driving wheels732 attached to the bottom surface of the housing 704. In thisembodiment, the center of gravity of the crawler 702 is locatedsubstantially in the center of the crawler. In one or moreimplementations, and as shown in FIG. 7A, the center of gravity islocated between the middle pairs of driving wheels 732.

With continued reference to FIG. 7A, in at least one implementation, thelength between the front pair of driving wheels and the adjacent pair ofwheels (L₁), and the length between the rear pair of driving wheels andits adjacent pair of wheels (L₃) are each longer than the width (W) ofthe weld joints of the pipeline the inspection crawler is moving along.As discussed above with regards to the first embodiment, when theinspection crawler 702 is in motion, at least the front pair and rearpair of driving wheels are activated and thus propel the crawler alongthe pipe 135. As such, having an L₁ that is greater than W helps toprevent the front pair of driving wheels—a propelling force of thecrawler—from getting stuck in the weld joint 138 with its adjacent pairof driving wheels. Likewise, having an L₃ that is greater than W helpsto prevent the rear pair of driving wheels—the other propelling force ofthe crawler—from getting stuck in the weld joint 138 with its adjacentpair of driving wheels. The length between the two innermost pairs ofdriving wheels (L₂) can be longer or shorter than W as long as thecenter of gravity is between the two innermost pairs of driving wheels.

With reference to FIGS. 7B-7C, in one or more implementations the centerof gravity of the inspection crawler 702 is movable. As shown in FIG.7B, a significant mass (moving mass) 734 of the crawler is located on asliding rail 736 and movable along the sliding rail 736 in a horizontaldirection. In one or more implementations, the significant mass 734 cancomprises at least some of the internal components of the crawler, suchas the battery, electronics, and/or ballast. In at least one embodiment,some or all of the significant mass 734 can be a separate weight. Themovement of the significant mass 734 along the sliding rail 736 can becontrolled by the processor 112 executing one or more software modules118, including driver module 122. In some implementations of thisembodiment (as shown in FIG. 7B), the sum of the length between thefront pair of driving wheels and the adjacent pair of wheels (L₁) andthe length between the two innermost pairs of driving wheels (L₂) (i.e.,L₁+L₂) is longer than the width (W) of the weld joints of the pipeline.This spacing ensures that at least two of the four pairs of drivingwheels are in contact with the surface of the pipe at all times.

FIG. 7C shows that as the inspection crawler 702 crosses an obstacle(e.g., weld joint 138), the significant mass 734 is configured to moveto a location on the sliding rail such that the center of gravityprevents the crawler from getting stuck in the weld joint 138. Inparticular, as shown in drawing (1) of FIG. 7C, as the front portion ofthe inspection crawler 602 is parked at a location proximate to the weldjoint and begins to cross the weld joint 138, the processor 112executing one or more software modules 118, including driver module 122,configures the inspection crawler 702 to move or slide the significantmass 734 along the sliding rail to the rear portion (e.g., substantiallyat the rear end) of the crawler, such that the front portion of thecrawler does not fall into the weld joint 138. As the front portion ofthe crawler 702 propelled over the weld joint (e.g., via driving wheels732) and the front-most pair of driving wheels makes contact with theother side of the weld joint 138 (drawing (2) of FIG. 7C), thesignificant mass 734 is then configured to slide on the sliding rail toa location at the center or substantially at the center of the crawler702, which, in the shown embodiment, is between the two innermost pairsof driving wheels. Finally, as center portion of the crawler 702 ispropelled across the weld joint (e.g., via driving wheels 732) and therear portion of the inspection crawler begins to cross the weld joint138 (drawing (3) of FIG. 7C), the significant mass 734 is configured toslide on the sliding rail to a location in the front portion (e.g.,substantially at the front end) of the crawler such that the rearportion of the crawler does not fall into the weld joint 138. Once thesignificant mass 734 is moved to the front portion of the crawler on thesliding rail, the rear portion of the crawler completes its crossing(e.g., is propelled via the driving wheels 732) over the weld joint. Inone or more implementations, the significant mass 734 and the slidingrail 736 are located within the housing 704. In at least oneimplementation, the significant mass 734 and the sliding rail 736 arelocated on the outer surface of the housing 704.

FIGS. 8A-8B shows another implementation of the inspection crawlerhaving a movable center of gravity similar to that of FIGS. 7A-C.Accordingly, similar parts share a similar numbering convention, exceptthat an “8” prefix is used instead of a “7” prefix. As shown in FIG. 8A,the crawler 802 having a housing 804 comprises three pairs of drivingwheels 832 and a significant mass 834 located along a sliding rail 836.In this implementation, preferably, the length between the front pair ofdriving wheels and the middle pair of wheels (L₁), and the lengthbetween the rear pair of driving wheels and the middle pair of wheels(L₂) are longer than the width (W) of the weld joints of the pipelinethe inspection crawler is moving along.

FIG. 8B shows how the inspection crawler 802 crosses a weld joint 138 ofthe pipeline. In this implementation, when crossing the weld joint 138,two pairs of driving wheels are in contact with the surface of the pipe135 at all times, and the significant mass 834 is moved horizontallyalong the sliding rail 836 such that the center of gravity is betweenthe two pairs of driving wheels currently in contact with the surface ofthe pipe 135. More specifically, as shown in drawing (1) of FIG. 8B, asthe front pair of driving wheels crosses the weld joint 138, thesignificant mass 834 is configured to move along the sliding rail 836 toa position between the middle pair and rear pair of driving wheels, suchthat the front portion of the crawler does not fall into the weld joint138. Once the front pair of driving wheels has crossed the weld joint138 and the middle wheel begins to cross the weld joint 138 (drawing (2)of FIG. 8B), the significant mass 834 is configured to move along thesliding rail 836 to a position substantially in the center of theinspection crawler 802 (i.e., a position substantially aligned with themiddle pair of driving wheels and in between the front and rear pairs ofdriving wheels). Finally, as shown in drawing (3) of FIG. 8B, as therear pair of wheels begins to cross the weld joint 138, the significantmass 834 is configured to move along the sliding rail 836 to a positionbetween the middle pair and front pair of driving wheels, such that therear portion of the crawler does not fall into the weld joint 138.

Again, in one or more implementations, when the front-most pair ofdriving wheels are crossing the weld joint, at least the rear-mostdriving wheels are actuated and therefore propel the front-most pair ofdriving wheels (and the front portion of the crawler) across the weldjoint. Conversely, when the rear-most pair of driving wheels cross aweld joint, at least the front-most driving wheels are actuated andtherefore propel the rear-most pair of driving wheels (and the backportion of the crawler) across the weld joint.

FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of the underwater crawler of the presentapplication according to still another embodiment similar to thoseembodiments discussed above. Accordingly, similar parts share a similarnumbering convention, except that a “9” prefix is used. As shown in FIG.9, in this embodiment, the inspection crawler 902 comprises a housing904. While not shown in the figures, the housing 904 can featuresubstantially the same components as shown in the housing 104 of FIG. 1,such as a power source, a controller, and a processor. Like the previousembodiments, the crawler 902 can also include at least two pairs ofdriving wheels 932 attached to the bottom surface of the housing 904configured to propel the inspection crawler across a surface of thepipeline. As show in FIG. 7A, in at least implementation, the crawler902 can include a front portion 906 and a rear portion 908, two pairs oflatching arms 928 each having rolling elements 930, four pairs ofdriving wheels 932 attached to the bottom surface of the housing 904,and an inspection tool 934. Each of the latching arms 928 are attachedto the housing via a spring-loaded active joint 940. The inspectioncrawler 902 also comprises a pair of connecting structures 942 thatconnect the front portion 906 and rear portion 908 of the housing 904.The connecting structures 942 are mechanically rigid structures thatconnect the front portion 906 and rear portion 908, and actively adjuststhe length of the crawler 902. In at least one implementation, theconnecting structures 942 are extending linear actuators (as shown inFIG. 9). In alternative implementations, the linear actuators can bereplaced with a rack and pinion mechanism, a pneumatic actuator, oranother suitable power actuator.

The movement of the connecting structures 942 of the crawler 902 toadjust the length of the crawler 902 can be controlled via the processor112 executing one or more software modules, including driver module 122.The ability to adjust the length of the crawler 902 allows the crawler902 to cross weld joints in a “caterpillar-like” motion. For example, asshown at FIG. 9 (drawing 1), as the inspection crawler 902 encounters aweld joint 138, the inspection crawler is configured to stop or park ata location proximate to the weld joint 138. As shown, when the crawler102 is parked, the at least rolling elements 930 of the latching arms128 are pressed against the surface of the pipeline such that therolling elements 930 of the front pair of latching arms aresubstantially aligned with the rolling elements 930 of the rear pair oflatching arms. In certain embodiments, the inspection crawler 902 can beconfigured to inspect the weld joint 138 while the crawler 902 isparked. Further, as shown in drawing 2 of FIG. 9, after the crawler 902parks at the weld joint 138, the processor 112 executing one or moresoftware modules 118, including driver module 122, configures theinspection crawler 902 to extend the connecting structures 942 in aforward direction until the front portion 906 (first portion) of thehousing 904 crosses the weld joint 138 (FIG. 9, drawings (1) and (2)).Once the front portion 906 of the housing 904 is across the weld joint138, the crawler 902 is configured to contract the connection structures942 such that the rear portion 908 (second portion) crosses the weldjoint 138 while the crawler is stopped (FIG. 9, drawings (2) and (3)).In at least one implementation, the crossing of the rear portion 908occurs when the crawler is stopped (e.g., brakes have been applied tothe front driving wheels and the rolling elements of the front latchingarms are pressed against the surface of the pipe).

The methods of movement of the inspection crawler are not limited toweld joints on a pipeline, but can also be applicable to otherimperfections along the pipeline where the surface of the pipe isuneven. It should also be understood that while the above embodiments ofthe inspection crawler have been described above as moving in a forwarddirection along an underwater pipeline and over weld joints, in one ormore embodiments the crawler can also move backwards along the pipe,including crossing over weld joints or other imperfections in a backwarddirection.

It should be understood that although much of the foregoing descriptionhas been directed to systems and methods for underwater inspectioncrawlers, the system and methods disclosed herein can be similarlydeployed and/or implemented in scenarios, situations, and settings farbeyond the referenced scenarios. It should be further understood thatany such implementation and/or deployment is within the scope of thesystem and methods described herein.

It is to be further understood that like numerals in the drawingsrepresent like elements through the several figures, and that not allcomponents and/or steps described and illustrated with reference to thefigures are required for all embodiments or arrangements. It should alsobe understood that the embodiments, implementations, and/or arrangementsof the systems and methods disclosed herein can be incorporated as asoftware algorithm, application, program, module, or code residing inhardware, firmware and/or on a computer useable medium (includingsoftware modules and browser plug-ins) that can be executed in aprocessor of a computer system or a computing device to configure theprocessor and/or other elements to perform the functions and/oroperations described herein. It should be appreciated that according toat least one embodiment, one or more computer programs, modules, and/orapplications that when executed perform methods of the presentdisclosure need not reside on a single computer or processor, but can bedistributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of different computersor processors to implement various aspects of the systems and methodsdisclosed herein.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising”, when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

It should be noted that use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,”“third,” etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not byitself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim elementover another or the temporal order in which acts of a method areperformed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claimelement having a certain name from another element having a same name(but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements.

Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” andvariations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listedthereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustrationonly and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications andchanges can be made to the subject matter described herein withoutfollowing the example embodiments and applications illustrated anddescribed, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of thepresent invention, which is set forth in the following claims.

1. A system for underwater inspection, comprising an inspection crawlerhaving: a housing having a first side and an opposing second side, apower source, and a controller; at least one inspection tool operativelyconnected to the housing; at least two pairs of driving wheels attachedto a bottom portion of the housing and being configured to propel theinspection crawler across a surface of a pipeline; and a moveable centerof gravity, wherein the center of gravity configured to selectively movealong a sliding rail attached to the housing during traverse across anobstacle on the surface of the pipeline.
 2. The system of claim 1,further comprising: at least one remotely operated vehicle (ROV),wherein the inspection crawler is configured to operate as a dockingstation for the ROV, and wherein the ROV is configured to assist theinspection crawler in underwater navigation when the ROV is docked inthe inspection crawler.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising: atleast one communication unit located on top of the surface of the waterand operatively connected to the at least one inspection crawler, the atleast one communication unit being configured to communicate aeriallywith one or more remote devices and communicate with the at least oneinspection crawler via a tether; and at least one sea surface unitoperatively connected to the at least one communication unit.
 4. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein in at least one communication unit isconfigured to float on the surface of the water.
 5. The system of claim3, wherein the at least one sea surface unit is configured to controloperations of the at least one inspection crawler via control signals.6. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the inspection crawler,communication unit, and sea surface unit comprise at least onetransmitter and at least one receiver, and wherein the transmitters andreceivers are configured to transmit and receive respectively, data andcontrol signals.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sliding rail ispositioned within the housing and the moveable center of gravitycomprises internal components of the inspection crawler.
 8. A method fortraversing a weld joint along a surface of an underwater pipeline withan inspection crawler having a housing comprising a first end and asecond end, a sliding rail located along the length of the housing fromthe first end to the second end, a moving mass configured to slide alongthe sliding rail to change the center of gravity of the inspectioncrawler, and at least two pairs of wheels operatively attached to abottom surface of the inspection crawler, the method comprising: parkingthe inspection crawler at a location proximate to the weld joint;sliding the mass along the slide rail to a position that issubstantially at the second end of the inspection crawler, wherein thesecond end of the inspection crawler is distal to the weld jointrelative to the first end of the inspection crawler; propelling thefirst end of the inspection crawler over the weld joint; sliding themass along the sliding rail to a position that is substantially in thecenter of the inspection crawler; propelling a center portion of theinspection crawler over the weld joint; sliding the mass along thesliding rail to a position that is substantially at the first end of theinspection crawler; and propelling the second end of the inspectioncrawler over the weld joint.
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